Tuesday, 29 January 2008

Seolbong Slip and Side

Continuing the backwards march, we reach the first day of the snow and the first adventure for a long awaited photograph. This time it was the Buddhist Temple at the top of Seoulbong Mountain. Have I mentioned this already? It really feels like I did.

The blind in my place supposedly provide a little bit of insulation, so I don’t really open them that often these days. The other thing is that I forget to close them by the time I turn the lights on and then the whole world can watch me stroll out of the shower.

I did eventually pull the shades aside for a quick peak outside. I was greeted with snow, and we all know how much I love snow. Snow, the thing that will not just make the photo on the mountain possible, but maybe even cover, possibly, an iced over lake.

I took one step to the left and sat down at my computer, typed in the URL for MSN Weather and went to my saved city, Icheon. It told me “There will be snow for three day,” and it was so. Three days off snow. Three Days! And that was the whole area, including Seoul.

You already have the results of the Seoul trip, so I’m not going to bore you with that.

I hopped straight into a shower, got dressed, sat down at my computer for some games and TV and waited for the next day. See, with so much snow, I will be able to get better photos with everything is well covered.

The next day I was off to the mountain. It was surprisingly warm and I was sweating like a pig under al the layers of clothing. Nearly dying up the mountain didn’t help me sweat any less. I don’t think we moved so fast when I went up there with June last time. Maybe that was my problem.

I got to the top, but I’m sorry to say that the photos of the temple were very disappointing. I got better shots everywhere else. After taking a few there I thought it might be a good idea to take a photo of Icheon from the top of the mountain. Erm, yes, the temple isn’t all the way to the top.

It started well, but I soon realised that this part of the climb will be slippery and a even little dangerous. Soon after that the realisation that I have to come down dawned on me. I stood, thought about it, and said to myself: “ADVENTURE!”

I’m not going to bore you with all the detail. I’m just going to tell you that I fell three times, flat on my arse, and at one point I was taking steps, but not moving. I was running in place in a slippery patch, just like a cartoon character being held back. I couldn’t stop laughing at myself

I eventual made it of the mountain, half soaked with a few nice photographs and a story to tell.

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